The UK government is preparing to introduce some of the toughest online safety measures for children in recent years, with plans to ban teenagers under 16 from accessing social media platforms considered to be “high risk.”
As part of a wider effort to make the internet safer for young people, children under 18 will also be prohibited from using AI chatbots designed for romantic or sexual interactions. The proposals follow a public consultation on online child safety that attracted more than 116,000 responses, with around 90% of parents supporting stronger restrictions for under-16s.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to formally announce the plans on Monday. While the government has not yet revealed which specific social media platforms will be affected, ministers are expected to publish those details at a later stage.
The new rules will not only target high-risk platforms. Even social media services deemed safer will face tighter controls for younger users. Under the proposed restrictions, children under 16 will be prevented from using disappearing messages, interacting with adult strangers through direct messaging, and taking part in livestreams.
Government insiders have described the measures as a major shift rather than a minor policy adjustment. One Downing Street source said the Prime Minister believes parents have been left to face powerful technology companies on their own and that stronger action is needed to protect children online.
According to the source, Starmer recognises the benefits technology can bring to young people but believes those benefits must be balanced with effective safeguards. The government has insisted the proposals are the result of detailed planning and are not a rushed response to public pressure.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has also signalled her willingness to challenge major technology companies if necessary. Sources close to her say she is committed to prioritising the interests of British children and parents over those of global tech firms.
The plans have inevitably sparked debate. Some supporters of a social media ban argue that simply providing safety tools is not enough. They point to research suggesting that many platforms are highly addictive and can negatively affect children’s wellbeing. They believe stronger restrictions are necessary to reduce these risks.
Others, however, have raised concerns about the speed with which the government reached its conclusions after the consultation ended on 2 June. Some legal experts and industry observers believe the policy could face judicial review, particularly if certain platforms are banned while others are not.
A judicial review would examine whether the government followed the correct legal process when making its decision rather than whether the policy itself is right or wrong. However, legal experts suggest that challenging the measures may prove difficult. Mark Jones, a partner at law firm Payne Hicks Beach, noted that courts generally require strong evidence that a decision was irrational, unfair, or unlawful before intervening. He also pointed out that opposing child safety measures could generate significant public criticism.
The proposals have also reignited questions about age verification and online privacy. Under the UK’s Online Safety Act, platforms that host pornography or content related to self-harm and suicide must verify that users are over 18. Many technology companies already use additional methods, including self-reported ages and third-party verification systems, to estimate users’ ages.
Companies such as Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, have recently explored stronger age-verification systems and have questioned whether responsibility for age checks should lie with app stores, device manufacturers, or the platforms themselves.
The debate is likely to intensify as the government moves forward with its plans. While many parents welcome tougher protections for children, critics warn that stronger age verification could require companies to collect and store more personal information, raising concerns about privacy and data security.
The government’s challenge will be finding a balance between protecting children online and preserving the rights and privacy of all internet users.
